Can body making machine



Dec. 1, 1959 N. GEERTSEN CAN BODY MAKINGVMACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1956 FIG. I

INVENTOR.

NELSON GEER'TSEN @4 1 flfie z ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1959 N. GEERTSEN 2,915,028

' CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGJZ FIG.3

INVEN TOR. O NELSON GEERTSEN ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1959 N. GEERTSEN 2,915,028

CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 no.4 j no.5 y

if if INVENTOR. 7i NELSON GEERTSEN sfim ' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,915,028 CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE Nelson Geertsen, Oak Park, 111., assignor to American :(IIan Company, New York, N.'Y., a corporation of New ersey Application March16, 1956, Serial No. 572,124

12 Claims. (Cl. 113-42) fitting body Wrapping, a rounded can is produced and its side seam hooks and laps are of a more uniform thickness and-consequently are more uniformly soldered. This all results in stronger and more hermetic seams.

However tight fitting partially formed can bodies are subject to considerable trouble at the bumping station,

where frequently the'hooks fail to lock properly with the result that considerable quantities of can bodies are .spoiled. To overcome this waste of can bodies, the bodies usually are formed so as to fit a little loosely on the horn.

This practice usually overcomes the problem of mislocked seams but creates many other problems which are dependent upon the temper and other characteristics of the tin plate from which the bodies are made. Such practice also means constant adjustment of themachine parts to maintain production of quality cans.

An object of the instant invention is the provision of an anti-misloc-k device in a can bodymaker, which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties and which permits of the formation of can bodies which fit tight on their support Another object is the provision of such devices which operate to improve the can qualityby producing rounded cans with stronger and morehermetic side seams.

'Another object is the provision of such devices which operate to simplify the can manufacturing-operations.

Another object is the provision-of such devices which permits of the production ofhi-gh quality cans regardless of adjustment for temper and other characteristics of the tin plate used for such cans.

born and which eliminates the hazard of niislocking side seams.

.Another object is theprovision of such devices which eliminate frictional drag on the can bodies so as. to

, eliminate twisting or rotatingofthe bodies on the support horn.

Numerous other objects andadvanta'gesof'the invention will-be apparent aslit is" betterunderstood from the fol-lowing description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: .Figure 1 isa fragmentaryfront view of a can body- .maker embodying the instant invention;

*Fig 2 is asectional view takensubstantially along the line'2-2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

*Fig: 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially "along Patented Dec. 1, 1959 M CC the broken line 33 in Fig. 1, with parts omitted and parts broken away;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail views of parts of the apparatus as viewed along the respective lines 4-4, 55 in Fig. 3; and

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9am enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the line 6-6 in Fig. 2 and illustrating schematically the different positions of certain of the moving parts of the apparatus in the operation of interengaging side seam hooks of a can body.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, the drawings illustrate an anti-mislock device applied to a conventional can body making machine of the character disclosed in United States Patent 1,770,041 issued July 8, 1930, to John F. Peters on Roll Bodymaker, principal parts of which are shown in the drawings.

In such a machine a partially formed tubular sheet metal can body A (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) having an outwardly bent inner side seam hook B (Fig. 6) and an inwardly bent outer side seam hook C, is formed on a support or mandrel or horn 21 and is advanced therealong in a stepby-step or intermittent manner through a plurality of stations at which the various side seam hook forming operations are performed on the body. The horn 21 is supported in a frame 22 which constitutes the main frame of the body maker as shown in the above mentioned Peters .patent.

The advancement of the can body A is effected by reciprocable feed bars 23 (Fig. 2) having spaced spring held feed dogs 24. The feed bars operate in longitudinal grooves 25 formed in the mandrel 21 and are reciprocated in any suitable manner through a forward or feeding stroke (toward the right in Fig. 2) and thence through a return stroke, such as that disclosed in the above mentioned Peters patent. During advancement of: the can body, its side seam hooks B, C travel along the bottom of the horn 21 in a straight line with the hooks spread apart in laterally spaced relation. The side wall of the body clings firmly to and extends around the horn.

In order to interengage the seam hooks, B, C for the usual bumping operation, the can body A is advanced into an assembly station D (Figs. 1 and 2) Where the horn 21 terminates in an inwardly tapered shoulder 27 which merges into a reduced diameter expanding mandrel 28. The expanding mandrel 28 is similar to the expanding mandrel disclosed in the above mentioned Peters patent and includes a pair of expanding cheeks 29 (Fig. 6) which at the proper time are spread apart by a wedge bar 30 to expand the can body. The wedge bar 30 is similar to that shown in the Peters patent and isactuated by a rocker lever also disclosed in the Peters patent.

As the can body A, with its hooks B, C spread apart, advances into the assembly station D, it rides over the tapered shoulder 27 onto the reduced diameter expanding mandrel 28 and in so doing the inherent spring in the wall of the can body reduces the diameter of the body to the diameter of the expanding mandrel. Stationary fiat .leaf spring fingers 32 (Fig. 2) disposed around the upper portion of the horn adjacent the tapered shoulder 27 guide the body into position on the expanding mandrel -28.. In order to provide for the firm holding of the body against the mandrel, the body during its formation into tubular shape is originally wrapped tightly around the .horn so that it clings .to the horn.

For proper interengagement of the hooks B, C for bumping them together, the outer hook C is lapped over the inner hookB toarrange the hooks as best shown in Fig. 8 before the can body is expanded to its full diameter. The instant invention is particularly directed .to this feature, for the purpose of preventing mislocks' which occur when for some reason the inner hook B gets displaced and overlaps the outer hook C. In this relation the hooks B, C of course cannot be locked together.

The proper interengagement of the hooks B, C preferably is effected by rotatable elements which comprise a cam-like inner hook pressure roll 35 (Figs. 4 and 6) and a cooperating pair of rotating lugs referred to as an outer hook hold-back lug 36 (Figs. 5 and 6) and an outer hook pressure lug 37. The inner hook pressure roll 35 is provided with a concentric preferably frusto-conical outer peripheral face 39 which extends for a major portion of the circumference of the roll and which blends into a cam-like clearance recess 40. This roll 35 is disposed under the expanding mandrel 28 at substantially the midportion of the assembly station D and is located adjacent and spaced laterally outward from the longitudinal path of travel of the inner side seam hook B as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

The inner hook pressure roll 35 is mounted on a transverse horizontally disposed rotatable shaft 42 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) journaled in a pair of spaced bearings 43 formed in a bracket 44 secured to the bodymaker frame 22. The shaft is rotated continuously through one revolution for each can body A, by an endless chain 46 which operates over a sprocket 47 on the shaft 42 and over a driving sprocket 48 on a cross-shaft 49. The cross-shaft 49 is journaled in a pair of spaced bearing blocks 51 (Fig. 1) secured to the frame 22 and is rotated continuously in time with the other moving parts of the bodymaker by an endless chain 52. The chain 52 operates over a driven sprocket 53 carried on the shaft 49 and a driving sprocket 54 carried on a crankshaft 55. The crankshaft 55 is journaled in a pair of spaced bearings 56 secured to the frame 22 and is rotated continuously as shown in the Peters patent.

Through rotation of the crankshaft 55, the inner hook pressure roll 35 is rotated in synchronism with the entrance of the can body A into the assembly station D. As the body enters the station D the leaf springs 32 force the side wall of the body on the inner hook side, toward the expanding mandrel 28 as shown in Fig. 6 and thus locates the inner hook B directly under a longitudinal spline 53 in the mandrel as shown in Fig. 7. This location of the inner hook B is effected while the clearance recess 4-0 of the pressure roll 35 is rotating under the entering can body as shown in Fig. 6. As soon as the hook B is located, the frusto-conical face 39 of the pressure roll 35 rotates into engagement with the portion of the can body adjacent the hook B and presses the body and the hook tightly against the mandrel so as to hold the body against twisting or shifting on the mandrel.

While the inner hook B and its adjacent portion of the can body are being properly located, the opposite edge portion of the body, including the outer hook C, is held away from the mandrel 28 by the outer hook holdback lug 36 as shown in Fig. 6. The outer hook holdback lug 36 and its cooperating outer hook pressure lug 37 are formed as integral parts of a hub 61 (Figs. 5 and 6) disposed opposite the inner hook pressure roll 35 but offset longitudinally nearer the tapered shoulder 27 of the horn 21 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The hub 61 is mounted on a transverse horizontal shaft 62 rotatably journaled in a pair of spaced bearings 63 formed in a bracket 64 secured to the bodymaker frame 22. V The shaft 62 is rotated continuously at a faster rate of speed than the inner hook pressure roll shaft 42, preferably at a rate of two revolutions per can body to obtain faster initial action on the body. This rotation is effected by an endless chain 65 which operates overa sprocket 66 on the shaft 62 and over a driving sprocket 67 on the cross-shaft 49. l

The outer hook holdback lug 36 is provided with a flat radially disposed face 69 (Figs. 5 and 6) which extends out from the hub 61 along an arc of substantially ninety degrees and rotates with the hub in a circle just inside of the longitudinal path of travel of ,the outer hook C. Hence as the can body A enters the assembly station D, the lug 36 rotates upwardly in front of the outer hook C as shown in Fig. 6 and guides the hook into the station while simultaneously holding the hook away from and in spaced relation to the inner hook B until the inner hook B is located and held against the expanding mandrel 28 as shown in Fig. 7. The holdback lug 36 then rotates out of engagement with and releases the outer hook C to permit the outer hook to snap inwardly toward the mandrel and thereby spring into overlapping relation to the inner hook B as shown in Fig. 8. This is effected by the inherent spring in the can body.

Simultaneously with this releasing action, the portion of the can body adjacent the outer hook C is pushed inwardly toward the mandrel 28 to insure proper overlapping of the hooks and to arrange the hooks in lateral alignment for interengagement. This is effected by the outer hook pressure lug 37. This lug 37 is formed integral with the hub 61 and projects radially outward from the hub along an arc of substantially one hundred eighty degrees and angularly disposed in opposite quadrants relative to the holdback lug 36 as shown in Fig. 5. The lug 37 is formed with an angularly disposed or beveled peripheral face 71 (Figs. 5 and 7) for engagement against the can body A adjacent the outer hook C to press the body and the hook inwardly as explained above to position the hooks, B, C as shown in Fig. 8 and thereby insure against a mislocking of the hooks.

With the hooks B, C overlapped and aligned as shown in. Fig. 8 and the body at rest at the assembly station D, the cheeks 29 of the expanding mandrel 28 are expanded as shown in Fig. 9 to expand the body to its full diameter and to interengage the aligned hooks B, C as illustrated in Fig. 9. This is a usual can body making operation as disclosed in the above mentioned Peters patent. While the interengaged hooks are held in this position they are squeezed or bumped together in the usual manner by a vertically movable bumping hammer 73 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9) to produce the well known lock seam which permanently secures the hooks against displacement and which is subsequently subjected to a soldering operation.

Thus through the utilization of the inner hook pressure roll 35 and the outer hook holdback lug 36 and pressure lug 37, full control of the location and relativity of the inner and outer hooks may be obtained to insure that under high speed operation the hooks B, C are always properly overlapped and interengaged for the following operations that result in the formation of a high quality side seam.

It is thought that the invention and many of its at tendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making can bodies, the combination of an elongated support for a partially formed can body having separated inner and outer side seam hooks, feeding means disposed adjacent said support for advancing a can body therealong to a seam assembly station, means at said station for clamping the can body adjacent said inner hook against said support, a rotatable holdback element disposed at said station adjacent the path of travel of said outer hook for engaging and holding said outer hook in outwardly spaced relation away from said inner hook during said can body clamping operation, and means for continuously rotating said holdback element in one direction on an axis normal to the vertical plane of the axis of said support to release said element from holding engagement with said outer hook to insure proper lapping of said outer hook over said inner hook for subsequent interengagement of the hooks for a bumping operation thereon to secure said hooks together.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said rotatable holdback element comprises a fiat faced lug carried on a rotatable hub.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein a rotatable pressure element is disposed adjacent said holdback element for engaging against said can body adjacent said outer hook for pressing the same inwardly into overlapping relation to said inner hook upon said release of said outer hook and means are provided for continuously rotating said holdback and pressure elements in synchronism and in one direction.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said outer hook pressure element comprises a cam-like segment carried on a continuously rotatable hub.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said holdback element comprises a flat faced lug and wherein said lug and said pressure segment are carried on and extend radially from said hub in angularly opposed relation.

6. In a machine for making can bodies, the combination of an elongated support for a partially formed can body having separated inner and outer side seam hooks, feeding means disposed adjacent said support for advancing a can body therealong to a seam assembly station, means at said station for holding said outer hook in spaced relation to said inner hook, a rotatable inner hook pressure element disposed at said station adjacent the path of travel of said inner hook for pressing said inner hook inwardly relative to said outer hook to insure proper overlapping of said outer hook over said inner hook, and means for continuously rotating said pressure element in one direction on an axis normal to the vertical plane of the axis of said support.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein said rotatable pressure element for said inner hook comprises a continuously rotatable roller.

8. The combination defined in claim 7, wherein said roller is provided with a cam-like outer periphery, including a clearance recess to clear said can body upon initial entry of said body into said seam assembly station and wherein said inner hook pressure roller is continuously rotated by said rotating means in one direction in synchronism with the advance of said body on said support.

9. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises a rotatable pressure roller disposed adjacent the path of travel of said inner hook to insure proper overlapping of said outer hook over said inner hook upon said release of said outer hook, and means for continuously rotating said pressure roller in one direction on an axis normal to the vertical plane of the axis of said support.

10. The combination defined in claim 9 wherein said pressure roller and said holdback element are rotated in synchronism by their respective rotating means.

11. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said support comprises a horn for supporting said can body with its inner and outer hooks disposed in laterally spaced relation and wherein said horn is provided with an expanding mandrel section of reduced diameter at said assembly station to facilitate overlapping and interengaging of said inner and outer hooks.

12. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein means are disposed adjacent said support and operable against said advancing can body to guide and locate said body at said assembly statio References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,625,091 Peters Apr. 19, 1927 2,563,805 Adamson Aug. 14, 1951 2,773,465 Gedde Dec. 11, 1956 

